(1) Although a conventional imaging apparatus, for example, a video camera with still image recording playback functions is to be connected to a personal computer (referred to as a PC below) as a USB device, some of such apparatus are able to be directly connected to printers with a USB cable, in recent years, and a function capable of directly printing still images (referred to as a PictBridge function below) is installed. One example was disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-66774, at page 3 and FIG. 1.
(2) Besides, in a video camera, under an imaging standby condition, a video tape is normally in contact with a rotary magnetic head and the rotary magnetic head unit is kept operating continuously so that image recording can be started immediately upon receiving instructions to start imaging by the user. However, repeated abrasion of the same position on the video tape by the head may damage the video tape and the rotary magnetic head unit. In order to avoid such damages, it was customary to automatically turn off the power and stop the rotation of the magnetic head when the imaging standby condition continued for a predetermined time.
(3) Moreover, in case when there is a plurality of operation modes, it is known to visually indicate each of the operation modes by lighting or blinking an LED corresponding thereto.
However, in the prior art imaging apparatus as described in the above (1), if an imaging apparatus is provided with the PictBridge function, depending on the case when the imaging apparatus is connected to a conventional PC or when it is connected to a printer, it is necessary to make a selection thereof and there is a problem that the selection is relatively complicated.
Accordingly, in an imaging apparatus such as, for example, a video camera or the like provided with the PictBridge function, there is a problem to be solved by adding a function which makes the selection of connection to a PC or a printer to be simple.
Also, in the prior art imaging apparatus as described the above (2) in which the power is automatically shut off and the rotation of the rotary magnetic head is stopped when the imaging standby condition continues for a time longer than the predetermined time, since its primary object is to prevent damage of the head and the tape, in case when no video tape is loaded, at the standby period in the imaging mode of still images or moving images on a memory card, or at the standby period in the playback mode of a video tape or a memory card, there is a problem that the automatic power-off does not operate and the power (a battery power supply, an AC power) is unnecessarily wasted. As a result, if the user leaves the video camera in the playback standby mode by mistake, the battery will be depleted after lapse of a certain time, thereby making the imaging impossible when one wants to and losing an imaging opportunity.
On the other hand, in an imaging mode for imaging on a tape, the abovementioned power-off takes place in order to prevent damage as described hereinabove. However, since power-off takes place after lapse of a predetermined time even if the user is operating other than start of recording images in the imaging standby condition such as, for example, a character input operation for captioning on a touch panel, such power interruption while the user is in operation prevents him/her from continuing such operation and thus aggravates the operability.
Accordingly, it is intended to turn on/off the automatic power-off function during a plurality of or all modes of operation menu and also to disable the power-off under particular conditions even if the automatic power-off is set. These particular conditions include the case when the user is operating something such as depressing a certain key of the video camera, touching the touch panel or any other operation. In case of operating such key or the like, there is a problem to be solved by extending the time before the automatic power-off takes place.
Furthermore, in the prior art imaging apparatus as described in the above conventional apparatus (3), if it is constructed to light or blink an FED when the operation mode is changed, there is a problem that an exclusive LED is needed for each operation mode in order to notify it, thereby increasing the cost accordingly.
Therefore, there is a problem to solve the cost increase by sharing a display of the changed operation mode with something like display means for, for example, menu operation.